2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race start times released

NASCAR officials released start times Tuesday for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

The most notable shift involves the playoffs opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which will be a nighttime, primetime event next year. The 2019 slate for NASCAR's top division features few other changes, save for a handful of 30- or 60-minute variations from the previous year's schedule.

Other notes from the 2019 start times:

• Green flag times for next year's Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway are unchanged. Daytona 500 qualifying will be scheduled on the same day (Feb. 10) as The Clash invitational for the second straight year. The season-opening stretch will culminate with the Feb. 17 Daytona 500, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.

• Martinsville Speedway's Oct. 28 race in the postseason shifts a half-hour later to a 3 p.m. ET start, which should mean a longer stretch of racing under the lights near the finish.